Chynna Phillips

"Do we have the record? I want to hear how dad and mom did it." -Chynna Phillips, during the recording of California.

The daughter of the Mamas & the Papas' own John and Michelle Phillips, Chynna Phillips is best known as part of the singing trio Wilson Phillips, along with fellow 1960s pop progeny Carnie and Wendy Wilson.

SEX APPEAL

Chynna Phillips has the kind of all-American appeal that isn't easy to resist. A lithe L.A. beauty, when Chynna (teamed with the Wilson sisters) sings the old surf 'n' sand anthems of 1960s California, she almost makes you believe in the romantic version of the Golden State. With her sexiness, we'd follow Chynna to the coast in a heartbeat, earthquakes and wildfires be damned.

But it must be remembered that Chynna isn't available, which knocks her down a few places on the sexiness scale. She's been married to actor William Baldwin since 1995 -- an eternity in celebrity years. On the other hand, the fact that the couple is still together means that Chynna has the kind of attraction that lasts.

SUCCESS

Chynna Phillips has had some accomplishments in various fields over the years, from acting to singing. Unfortunately, with the exception of Wilson Phillips' self-titled debut album in 1990, these haven't been spectacular. Chynna's acting and solo music careers seem to have fizzled, and 2004's Wilson Phillips comeback with California stalled as each member of the group has become a new mom since.

Accordingly, Chynna hasn't quite achieved widespread fame in her own right -- her name invariably comes up only in the same breath as Wilson Phillips, the Mamas & the Papas or the Baldwins. Perhaps if Wilson Phillips stay together and grow, it will provide Chynna with an opportunity to convert more fans.

Chynna Phillips Biography

Gilliam Chynna Phillips was born in Los Angeles, California, on February 12, 1968, to John and Michelle Phillips, both members of the popular 1960s folk/rock group the Mamas & the Papas. Although she grew up among rock 'n' roll royalty and other stars like Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson, Chynna's childhood and youth were marred by substance abuse. She described her father as a "die-hard, take-it-to-the-grave" addict, and before long, she too was abusing drugs and alcohol. "I didn't know any other life," she confessed years later, when she had gone clean.

chynna teams up with wilson sisters

A more positive childhood tie came from Chynna's early friendship with Carnie and Wendy Wilson, daughters of The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. The trio, who had known each other since they were infants, even put together a demo track of "Take Me Out to The Ballgame" in 1973, calling themselves The Satellites.

chynna phillips in say anything...

After high school, Chynna pursued an acting and modeling career, with some success. She appeared in a number of late-1980s films, including John Hughes' Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), The Invisible Kid (1988) and Caddyshack II (1988). The following year, she appeared in Cameron Crowe's Say Anything... and starred in the made-for-TV movie Roxanne: The Prize Pulitzer.

wilson phillips hold on

While her acting career was taking off, Chynna entered the family business after all. After a failed attempt at putting together a charity album featuring the children of '60s musicians, in 1986, Chynna had reunited with the Wilson sisters to form the band Wilson Phillips. But the trio wasn't able to get a record contract for a number of years. Finally, in 1990, Wilson Phillips released their first, self-titled album. Wilson Phillips, featuring songs like "Hold On," "Release Me" and "You're in Love," sold over 10 million copies worldwide and allowed the group to tour as far away as Japan.

chynna releases naked and sacred

In 1992, Wilson Phillips released a follow-up, Shadows & Light. While the album sold over a million copies, interest in the group was clearly on the wane, and Wilson Phillips broke up the next year. In the meantime, Chynna decided to pursue a solo career, and in 1995, she released Naked and Sacred. In September of that year, Chynna married into the Baldwin acting clan, tying the knot with William Baldwin. In 1996, Chynna's song "I Live for You" was featured in the Demi Moore vehicle Striptease.

wilson phillips come back with california

The late 1990s saw Chynna fade from public view, but in the new decade, she was back in the spotlight. In 2003, Chynna reunited with the Wilson sisters, and Wilson Phillips released a comeback album, California, in May 2004. That same year, she appeared on Live with Regis & Kelly, Howard Stern, Celebrity Blackjack, and The Tony Danza Show.

Among professional reunions and revitalization, Chynna's own family was expanding. She gave birth to a daughter, Jamison, in February of 2000, and a son, Vance Alexander, in October of 2001; a second daughter, Brooke Michelle, followed in 2004.